Tips to be healthy.

1. LOVE YOUR BODY
LOVE YOUR L I F E !
GETTING HEALTHY FOR YOU!
How do you feel when you first wake up in the morning? Are you eager to get
your day going because you’re full of energy or do you grumble and hide your
head under the pillow because you could use another 12 hours of hibernation?
Evaluating how you feel first thing in the morning is a good
indicator of your overall health. Generally speaking, if you’re maintaining
a healthy weight and eating a good share of fruits and vegetables daily, you
should be starting the day with a bang and not feeling sluggish.
On the other hand, if you live a sedentary life Quick Tip: Start your
and rely on the closest fast food joint, then you day with a smile. Your
will likely be the one who wants to go back to smile will be infectious
sleep, who needs 5 cups of coffee to conquer and you’ll improve
the day, or who grumbles about every little thing someone else’s mood
that might go wrong. as well as your own.
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2. How you start your day has a direct impact on whether you see things
positively or negatively and it can also affect the moods of your family
members and coworkers.
WHY SHOULD I LOSE WEIGHT?
We’ve all heard the same news stories for years telling us to lose weight, eat
healthy, and exercise more. But there are just as many people who believe you
should just accept your body as it is and, so long as you’re a good person and
living a productive life, then that’s all that matters.
Well, it’s true that you shouldn’t judge people strictly based on looks. And it’s
also true that losing weight for shallow or vain purposes will only be a
temporary fix until the wedding, class reunion, or vacation passes, then it’s
back to your old, unhealthy habits.
The real reason to lose weight is that you love your body so much
that you have a deep desire to be physically, emotionally,
mentally, and spiritually healthy.
You already know about the life-
threatening illnesses and problems
you face due to excess weight. You
already know your risks increase
significantly as your weight increases.
This shouldn’t scare you because it’s
nothing you haven’t heard already –
and if you were really concerned
about the risks, you probably would
have taken action already!
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3. Here’s a refresher about a few risks relating to carrying extra
pounds:
✴ Heart Disease – high blood pressure and cholesterol
✴ Type II Diabetes – high blood sugar levels
✴ Sleep Apnea – snoring and breathing issues
✴ Depression – severe sadness
✴ Osteoarthritis – stiffness in weight-bearing joints
Studies have proven that lifestyle changes ultimately decrease the risk of
weight-related illnesses. Whether you could stand to lose 10 pounds or 100,
it’s time to love your body and love your life!
Quick Tip: Not sure how to start exercising? March in place
during the commercial breaks of your favorite television shows.
Sounds silly, but it works.
BENEFITS OF LOSING WEIGHT
In addition to preventing the onset of these diseases, there are many benefits
to losing weight! Here are just a few:
✴ Increased self-esteem – you’ll feel more confident and ready to tackle
life
✴ Increased happiness – the endorphins in your brain start to kick in when
you make healthy choices and, in turn, improve your general mood
✴ Improved relationships – you’ll have deeper relationships with the
people in your life
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4. ✴ Decreased use of medications – countless numbers of overweight patients
now need fewer medications after making simple lifestyle changes to lose
even a small amount of weight.
REASONS FOR OBESITY
Many people concoct excuses to explain why they’re overweight or obese. They
range from bad family genes to thyroid problems, but rarely do they include the
simple fact that people don’t proactively take care of themselves. It boils down
to this simple question:
Do I love myself enough to take care of my body?
If you do, then you can choose to deal with your problems with words, not
spoons of ice cream. You can choose to make time for exercise instead of
television. You can choose to take ownership of the weight, instead of
externalizing the problem.
Quick Tip: When grappling
Part of human nature is looking for a
over a difficult decision,
scapegoat or someone else to blame.
always ask yourself, “Do I
Taking care of our health is a huge
love myself enough to take
undertaking and if we fail, it’s difficult to
care of my body?”
admit our mistakes.
However, blaming a scapegoat for your
own unhealthy lifestyle is becoming a
victim in your own life story. When you
blame outside sources for your problems it shows
the world that you’re not taking responsibility for
your life; you’re letting others dictate how
you should look and feel.
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5. ESCAPING THE BLAME GAME
Rather than wasting time finding someone to blame for being overweight,
close your eyes and give praise for having a body that works.
Maybe it works a little slower than you’d like, but start being grateful that
you’re able to breathe and move.
Take joy in a sunrise. Take joy in the smell of a luscious garden. Take joy in a
stroll through the park. Take joy in the fact that you are making the conscious
decision to love yourself and your body!
Quick Tip: Instead of flipping through magazines dreaming about who
you wish you looked like, look at yourself in the mirror and say:
“I love all of me, as I am. I deserve to be happy and healthy!”
You need to break free of the negative
thoughts that invade your head when it
comes to loving and respecting your body.
If you’re so quick to notice the “perfect”
parts of other people’s bodies, then you
should give praise to your strengths as well.
Instead of thinking, “I’d love to have her tight
abs,” find something that you like
about your own body. Maybe you’ve got
the curly hair that your friends envy or the
shiny white teeth of a movie star. Learning
to appreciate what you have may be a slow
process, but it’s the first step in recapturing
control of your life.
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6. LOSING WEIGHT IS A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE
Do you ever consider why you were given the body you have?
Whether or not you believe in God, tackling a large weight loss can seem
overwhelming, even to the strongest and most positive person.
Incorporating prayer or meditation into your daily routine will
calm your inner being, which will then help you believe in
yourself.
If you don’t believe in a higher being, you can still meditate and put forth
positive thoughts and energy into the universe. This is the basis of the Law of
Attraction, which holds that the more positive energy you give out, the more
positive energy you’ll attract into your life.
Visualizing what you want to achieve is an example
Quick Tip: Remember that of putting forth positive energy. Thanking God for
your body is a gift. Honor all that is good in your life is acknowledging the
your body and say to positive and good in your life. If you firmly believe
yourself, “My body is to be that you will lose weight and become a healthier
kept beautiful and healthy.” person, then you’re more likely to take the
necessary steps to make it a reality.
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7. CREATE AN INDIVIDUALIZED HEALTH PLAN
Most adults want to lose weight, but everyone’s goals are unique. No matter
how little or how much weight you have to lose, creating a plan that fits
into your unique lifestyle is important.
✴ Determine your ideal weight (with the help of a doctor or nutritionist, if
necessary)
✴ Write specific ways of how you can get yourself moving everyday
✴ Implement the dietary changes you need to make by removing
temptation
✴ Communicate with your family and friends about how they can best
support you
Quick Tip: Fight negative, self-defeating thoughts by exercising.
Don’t think about it, just walk around the block or up and down
your stairs until you regain your composure.
As you develop your health plan, write everything down in a
notebook or an online journal. The practice of taking pen to paper
makes the plan more real, as though it’s a contract you’ve made with yourself
to become healthier. On especially hectic days, having a written plan to look at
quickly will also keep you from making poor food choices.
Keep in mind that your plan may change. Nothing is written in stone and as
your lifestyle changes, so will your health plan. As you discover new exercise
regimens or new foods, add those to your plan. You can also include your
favorite healthy recipes and any quotes that you find especially encouraging or
inspiring in your notebook.
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8. Also, decide on a way to hold yourself
accountable for your choices.
Group weight loss meetings have this
accountability built-in by creating a
supportive, friendly environment. Perhaps
you can find a trusted friend who will
promise to check in with you each week
to keep track of your progress. Or
better yet, get this friend to exercise with
you during the week so you can stay
motivated and discuss any potential
problems that come up.
MAKE SMALL MEASURABLE GOALS
Of course, you need to choose a weight goal. It may be a certain number of
pounds to lose each week, or perhaps it’s a specific number on the scale, but
whatever it is, make sure your goal is specific, measurable, and
attainable.
Once you have your overall goal written down in your health plan, immediately
set smaller, more manageable goals you want to achieve on your
journey to good health. You didn’t put on this weight overnight so don’t
expect it to just melt off instantly.
Quick Tip: Brag about yourself! Be proud of your successes, no
matter how small, and share them with your family and friends.
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9. Your smaller, manageable goals don’t even have to be related to losing a certain
amount of weight each week. For example:
1. Set a goal to drink 8 glasses of water every day
2. Try a new, healthy recipe twice a week
3. Try buying five new vegetables at the grocery store to taste test
4. Set a goal of taking a 30-minute brisk walk four times this week
Before you know it, you’ll start to see progress and you’ll quickly form new
healthy habits that will help you make life-long changes to your lifestyle.
Even though healthy weight loss may be a long process, we all need to see
positive progress along the way. You can’t realistically expect to lose 5 pounds
a week, every week, but you can take note of your progress in your journal.
Keep track of your ups and downs for the week, as well as the
positive outcomes that have arose from your new lifestyle.
If you started exercising last week, what difference do you
notice in your body this week? Do you have more
energy? Did someone compliment you on your progress?
Have you been more productive at work? Whatever it is,
document your progress! Charting this progress will
keep you motivated, especially since it takes
time to see the bigger changes in your body.
Confucius says: “Our greatest glory is not in
never falling but in rising every time we fall.”
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10. SURVIVING SETBACKS
Even after you develop a well-crafted health
plan, you’re bound to experience setbacks
along the way. It’s inevitable that you’ll face
family stress, changes at work, or temptation
during the holidays. This is when you need to
take a breath, close your eyes, and remember
that you are doing what you do because
you love and respect your body.
First and foremost, think of how your body has already benefited from choosing
to live a healthy lifestyle. Maybe you’ve already shed a few pounds, maybe you’re
less stiff in the mornings, maybe it’s easier to walk up your stairs without getting
winded. These are all remarkable signs that your body is honored and respected!
Take an inventory of all the things you like about your body now.
Perhaps you only noticed one positive aspect of your body at first, but as you go,
you’ll begin to see more things you like about yourself. This is improvement!
As you see progress, you’ll start loving your body more, and self-sabotage won’t
even be an option because you’ll never want to go down that dark path again.
When faced with stress, remember to pray or meditate to achieve a
sense of calm. Visualize yourself living a healthy lifestyle. Visualize yourself
making healthy choices. Take these few moments in prayer to center yourself,
even if the world around you is in chaos.
Remember that you are in control of your body and how you nourish
it. Show yourself the kind of love and respect you deserve.
Final Tip: Stop playing the victim. Only you can make your life better!
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